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Friday, 11 January 2013

An investigation into the claims by the brother of Stephen Lawrence that he has been stopped by police up to 25 times because of his skin colour will be supervised by the independent police watchdog, it was announced today.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will supervise an investigation into Stuart Lawrence's claims that officers from Scotland Yard have repeatedly targeted him as part of a sustained campaign of harassment.

The teacher, whose teenage brother was murdered in a racist attack, has consulted lawyers over the "ludicrous" police behaviour.

He said he was moved to act after he was pulled over by two officers in November while he was in his VW Scirocco near his home in Peckham, south London.

When he asked why he was stopped, one officer told him the pair were "naturally suspicious" of him, he claimed.

The IPCC will now oversee an investigation by the Metropolitan Police's directorate of professional standards.

An IPCC spokeswoman said: "Following careful consideration of a referral from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) on January 9, the IPCC will supervise an investigation into a complaint made by Stuart Lawrence.

"The referral relates to an incident in November 2012 when Mr Lawrence was stopped by police officers but the complaint also alleges an overall pattern of behaviour against him by MPS officers on the grounds of his ethnicity.

"The IPCC will set the terms of reference for the investigation which will be conducted by the MPS' directorate of professional standards.

"The decision to supervise this investigation will be kept under review.

"Last year, the IPCC shared public concerns generated by a number of referrals alleging racism and announced it would closely scrutinise how the MPS handled racism complaints.

"As a result of that scrutiny the IPCC has supervised a number of cases alleging racism in the MPS and undertaken additional work. We will be publishing the results of this and any further lessons to be learned from Mr Lawrence's case."

Mr Lawrence, 35, told the Daily Mail he had never done anything wrong.

He said: "I am being targeted because of the colour of my skin, I don't think it's because I am Stephen's brother.

"Whenever I have been stopped, I have never subsequently been charged with anything, and nothing has ever been found to be wrong with my car.

"I have never, ever, done anything wrong. I have never been in trouble with the law. I have paid my road tax and my insurance, and always tried to keep my cars in a roadworthy state."

He said he has been stopped around 25 times but was pulled over at police checkpoints - where officers were apparently checking drivers' tax and insurance - on only two of these occasions.

This was down to "no other reason, apart from racism", he said.

A letter of complaint was sent to Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe on Tuesday, naming the officers allegedly involved in the latest incident.

Mr Lawrence, who is engaged to be married and has a two-year-old son, said he felt "angry and frustrated" and believed there had been little progress in the way police deal with black people.

His brother was stabbed to death by a gang of attackers in Eltham, south-east London, in 1993, at the age of 18.

The original investigation into his death failed to solve the case and was dogged by allegations of corruption and racism.

The Macpherson Inquiry later concluded the Metropolitan Police was "institutionally racist".

Only two of the killers have been convicted.

Gary Dobson and David Norris were found guilty by a jury at the Old Bailey last year, after a cold case review team discovered tiny traces of forensic evidence linking them to the murder.

Mr Lawrence added: "A lot of recommendations were made by the Macpherson Inquiry but it seems that it hasn't made much difference.

"I would like to know when things are going to change, when is there going to be a society where you are not pulled over because you are a black guy or a black person driving a particular car.

"The decision to stop someone in their car should be based on a sound reason, rather than the colour of your skin."

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